Jockey Leah Kilner leaves hospital after horrific fall during race at Grafton NSW on July 3

A young female jockey has shared a heartwarming message after she finally walked out of hospital following a horrific fall during a horse race.

Leah Kilner, 24, was thrown from her horse ‘Stella Turn’ during a race in Grafton, NSW on July 3. 

Footage of the devastating incident shows her horse’s front legs buckle while running at full speed in the home straight, sending Ms Kilner spearing into the turf before being trampled by following horses. 

Sadly, the horse was euthanised following the accident. 

Ms Kilner was left in a coma with horror head and spinal injuries. 

During her treatment she underwent surgery to release the pressure on her brain and was reliant on machinery to stay alive. 

On Monday, Ms Kilner took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message with her followers as she was able to walk out of Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital.  

‘Wow who knew I’d be legitimately walking out of here and alive… I bet if you asked those around me in the first couple of days it may have been a grave “I’m not sure”, Ms Kilner posted.

‘July 3rd turned my life upside down … I’m just so grateful and feel lucky that I’m here to tell the crazy story and thankful for all the people that have been here to support me and all the people that have sent a message, a prayer, anything at all, it’s all helped.  

‘And we can’t forget the paramedics first on the scene and the Westpac Helicopter and all the barrier/track staff… Literally all played a part in saving my life.

‘There’s still a very long way to go and a lot more therapy, which luckily I have the home team come to me now and do it from home.

‘I may talk and look better then what I actually am, there’s a hell of a long way to go, but I’m ready to take it on and continue to get as better as I can,’ Ms Kilner added. 

The young jockey is regarded as one of Australia’s rising stars of the track, riding more than 200 winners during her short career. 

‘Apart from the severe head/brain trauma, I had a collarbone snapped in 3, broken ribs, a small fracture in the ankle, my whole left side extremely weak and still tingly, even a closed left eye, which has me left with only 25 per cent vision and we won’t forget the post traumatic amnesia,’ she wrote, detailing the extent of her injuries as a result of the fall.

‘I even attempted throwing myself out of bed to “wake myself up”… However I’ve only had to look around and think and remember of others to realise that I’ve actually been extremely lucky throughout all of this.

‘To see people have called me strong, brave, an inspiration and even a miracle is really unbelievable, I would have never called myself those things.

‘But when I hear the first stories and see where I am now, I guess I really have come a long way and if I can some day help anybody and inspire them to keep pushing I will be happy if I can do it, so please if anyone needs help reach out. 

‘Thankyou to all the nurses and doctors at the PA who have looked after me, especially when I was pulling tubes out of everywhere 5x a day, and my favourite nurse Carly who went above and beyond for me there.

‘And just a massive Thankyou to everyone for their well wishes and support and the ongoing support. But the biggest Thankyou goes to my family and close friends, they know who they are.’

During her rehabilitation, Ms Kilner was seen visiting her horses while confined to her wheelchair, including planting a kiss on regular mount Danezel.  

Kilner captioned her post: ‘Ponies are the best medicine’, prompting followers to congratulate her for making it out of hospital.

‘Such a special moment, I’m so happy you are out of hospital Leah,’ one person wrote.

‘Absolutely they are, so glad you’re on the mend,’ another said.

‘Great to see you Leah, best wishes for your recovery,’ a third wrote. 

Her father and trainer Greg Kilner said her love for horses was evident as soon as she woke from her coma.

‘That visit to see the horses has got her up and got her going, I am so proud of her,’ Mr Kilner said.

‘It is unbelievable how she has come through, it’s really a miracle, if you had seen her in the first couple of days it was just heartbreaking,’ he told News Corp.